Aerated minnow bucket



May 9, 1950 A.- T. KEAR 2,507,444

' AERATED MINNOW BUCKET I Filed June 17, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

y 9, 1950 A. T. KEAR 2,507,444

AERATED MINNOW BUCKET Filed June 17, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 9, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT 4 Claims.

1 7 My present inventionrelates tothe general class of fishing, and more specificallyto an improved aerated minnow bucket for use by fishermen and others-tor preserving and transporting minnows, or otherlive bait, as well as for. other purposes; andthe portable appliance isequipped with means-of simple construction and operation fer venting and aerating the water content of'the bucket, when desired.-

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts involving-aninterionreinovable perforated and buoyantminnow bucket and an exterior bucket-or container having an airtight closure aswill-hereinafter be described indetail, and more specifically set forth in the appended claims.

the accom anyin drawings 1" haveillus tra'ted a complete example or a physical 'embodi merit of my inver-ition in which thepartsarecom bined and arranged in accord with one mode I have devised-for the practical application of the principles of my invention.

It will, however, be understood that changes and'alterations: are: contemplated'and may be made in these exemplifying drawings and mechanical structures, within the scope of my claims, without departing from the principles of the invention. I

Figure 1 is" a central vertical sectional view of a minnow bucket in which myinvention is physically embodied. I I V Figure 2 is a topplan view of the bucket:

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view as at line 3- 3 of Fig; 1; and" 7 Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view asat line 4-4 of'Fig: 1 sho'wi-nga portion of the air-tight closure for "the container.

Fig. is a fragmental plan view of the circular lid of the minnow bucket. v

In this preferred form of my invention I employ a cylindrical metallic container, or outer bucket I having a closed bottom fashioned with an annular attaching flange 2 that may be welded or otherwise secured within the bucket, and the bottom is provided with a circular depression or recess forming a seat 3, which provides an annular ledge 4 at the inner face of the bucket wall.

This outer bucket or container, near its upper open end, is equipped with an interior annular collar or spacing ring 5, located just beneath the rim of the container, and as indicated in Fig. 1 the diameter of the inner periphery orf the ring or collar is complementary to the di- 2. arheter of the recess 01f seat 3, providing a support for the inner container I9. I

As, an airtight closure for the container La quick detachable dome-shaped lid 6 is fasliiond with an annular exterior flange l, and a gasket 01' ring Sbenea-th the flange pressed down upon the top of the collar toseal the interior of the container. For convenience in handling the container or-outer bucketa y shaped bail 9, having a conventional handle H is pivotally mounted with its endsinperforated cars it that are r'iveted or otherwise fastened at ll, to an annular rim band i2 rigidwith'the mouth of the container or outer bucket, p V,

For compressing the air tight lid on the upper rim of the container or outer bucket, a manually operated pressure screw 13 is mountedin a bracket': i icentra-lly; riveted on the top of the dome shaped lid, and the inner or lower end of the screw impingesi-n a central exterior seat or recess [5 stamped in theimeta-llic lid. The screw is threaded through the hub or center of atransversely arrangedpresser bar 16, the opposite ends of which may be latched in complementary slots l'i'of-the earsl9, andunder inwardly projecting lugs l8 of theea-rs; Thus, by a slight twisting movement of thelid and its presserbar the ends of. the bar are slippedunder the lugs, and the screw is turned to seal the lid on the top inner edge of the collar 5.

Within the outer bucket or container Laremovable, buoyant, or floating, minnow bucket i9 isseated with its closedcircular bottom fitted sriugly withinthe elevated recess 3 of the con tainer, and this inner bucket is of ample height to fit and be centered within the inner periphery of; the collar or band 5 of the container,- thus stabilizing the-inner ibucket with-in the outer bucket.

The cylindrical wall-,orbody of the minnow bucket is provided with the customary multiple perforations 20, and to insure buoyancy of the minnow bucket, when it is withdrawn from the container and selectively used in a stream or lake, the upper part of the bucket is provided with a closed, annular air reservoir 2|. having a frusto-conical and flanged wall 22 that is secured as by welding to the inner surface of the bucket, and a reduced cylindrical neck 23 having a horizontal and annular top wall 24. The top wall is also flanged and secured to the upper edge or rim of the bucket, and these walls form a permanently sealed and airtight reservoir to float the minnow bucket, per se, in a stream or lake.

The reduced mouth or neck portion of the minnow bucket may be closed by a circular lid 25, that is perforated at 25A, and hinged at 26 on the top wall 24 of the air reservoir, and a diametrically arranged latch 21'! is pivoted at 28 on the underside of the lid 25. An angular portion 28 of the pivoted latch passes upwardly through a slot in the lid and its exterior end coacts with a keeper 29 fixed to the lid to frictionally retain the lid in closed and latched position.

For convenience in handling the minnow bucket it is equipped with a conventional bowed bail 30 pivotally mounted with its opposite ends in perforated ears 3! upstandin from the top wall 24 of the air reservoir, and when not in use is adapted to lie flat on the top of the closed bucket.

For aerating, venting, and circulating air through the water content of the buckets, an aerating, tubular ring 32 having a suitable number of perforations 33, is mounted on the elevated bottom ledge 4 of the container, and this interrupted ring, which encircles the minnow bucket when the latter is in Iplace, is provided with an integral stand-pipe or vertically arranged air inlet tube 34. The air tube 34 rises through the annular jacket space defined by the vertical walls of the bucket l and the minnow bucket 49 surrounding the minnow bucket and passes through a sealed opening in the collar of the container, with its exterior or upper end open to the atmosphere.

Located at a preferably diametrically opposed point of the container, a vent pipe or air duct 35 opens from the interior of the container through a sealed aperture of the collar 5, and this angular air duct terminates in an exterior nipple or nozzle 36 to which an exhaust tube may be attached.

By means of an aerating device or unit the water content of the buckets may readily be replenished with iresh air and without excessive agitation, as required to preserve the live bait or minnows.

For use in fishing, after the sealed lid of the container has been released and removed, the minnow bucket may be withdrawn from the container, and as usual this buoyant bucket may be floated in the lake or stream, and supplied with fresh water through its perforations.

Both the minnow bucket and the container are readily available, either in compact arrangement for joint use, or separately, for various purposes, and they form equipment for a fishing trip that is always constantly accessible, for the various uses.

Having thus hilly described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a container having an airtight and releasable closure, and a buoyant and perforated minnow bucket located in the container and forming with the container a jacket space within the container, of an aerating unit mounted in the jackekt space and having an exterior air inlet, and a vent duct opening from the interior of the container.

2. The combination with a container having an airtight and releasable closure, and a buoyant perforated minnow bucket located in the container and forming with the container a surrounding jacket space, of a perforated aerating tube mounted in the jacket space, a stand-pipe communicating with the tube and having an exterior air inlet, and a vent duct opening from the interior of the container.

3. The combination with a container having an air-tight closure, a spacing ring and a recessed bottom and a buoyant perforated minnow bucket seated in the recessed bottom with its rim portion fitted in the spacing ring, and said minnow bucket forming with the container an annular jacket space within the container of a circular and perforated aerating tube mounted in the bottom of the jacket space, a stand pipe communicating with the tube and extended upwardly through the spacing ring for inlet of air, and a vent duct opening from the interior of the container, extending through the spacing ring, and provided with an exterior outlet openmg.

4. The combination with a container and its lid and enclosed minnow bucket, of diametrically arranged perforated ears rigid with the container and a bail pivoted therein, an integral latching lug and slot for each ear, a presser bar having its ends fitted in the slots under said lugs, a bracket mounted on the lid over the bar, and a pressure screw mounted in the bracket and threaded through the bar for engagement with the lid.

ALLEN T. KEAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 252,883 Linder et a1. 'Jan. 31, 1882 309,351 Menke et al Dec. 16, 1884 359,311 Bateman Mar. 15, 1837 372,233 Northrop Oct. 25, 1887 506,017 Ruprecht Oct. 3, 1893 929,408 Drisdale July 27, 1909 1,401,090 Levy Dec. 20, 1921 1,897,571 Camporini Feb. 14, 1933 2,182,160 Nelson Dec. 5, 1939 

